'250m Large Net' Installed for Trawling Shrimp... Chinese Fishing Vessel Seized

A Chinese fishing vessel was seized by the Coast Guard for illegal fishing in our waters using a large purse seine net, commonly known as a 'ssakssul-i eogu' (sweeping fishing gear).

According to the Coast Guard Headquarters on the 13th, the West Sea Regional Coast Guard seized a 260-ton Chinese fishing vessel equipped with a large net that swept up 100 boxes of shrimp for salted seafood off the coast of Gageodo, Jeollanam-do, on charges of violating the Exclusive Economic Zone Fisheries Sovereignty Act.

The Chinese vessel is suspected of illegally fishing by intruding about 8.3 km into the West Sea Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) approximately 107 km southwest of Gageodo, Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do, at around 7:30 a.m. the previous day.

A Coast Guard fixed-wing aircraft on patrol spotted the Chinese vessel hauling in its net, and a nearby patrol ship, upon receiving this information, pursued the vessel as it attempted to flee toward Chinese waters for about 13 km before apprehending it.

At the time of capture, 100 boxes of 20 kg shrimp for salted seafood were found on board the Chinese vessel. The Coast Guard plans to transfer the Chinese captain and 14 crew members to the Mokpo Coast Guard Station's dedicated pier to investigate the circumstances of the illegal fishing.

A 260-ton Chinese purse seiner, which set up a large net and conducted illegal fishing in our waters, is being seized by the Coast Guard.
[Photo by Seohae Regional Coast Guard]

The large purse seine net, measuring 250 m in length and 75 m in width, has a mesh size of only 20 mm at the end where fish gather, catching even juvenile fish indiscriminately.

Because of this, it is called a 'ssakssul-i eogu' (sweeping fishing gear) or 'sea mine' among fishermen. The use of purse seine nets is prohibited within our Exclusive Economic Zone.

However, Chinese fishing vessels usually enter our EEZ at night or during bad weather from September to April of the following year to secretly set up purse seine nets. They quickly haul in the large nets on days when Coast Guard patrols are absent, making enforcement difficult.

Kim Jong-wook, Commissioner of the Coast Guard Headquarters, stated, "Purse seine nets are highly intensive fishing gear that sweep up even juvenile fish and are the main cause of the depletion of our fishing grounds. We will mobilize all personnel and equipment to actively crack down on this."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.